Tire-tightener



(No Model.)

. W. A. MAYO.

TIRE TIGHTENBB..

No.426f730. Patented Apr. 29,1890.

A TTOHNE YS I portion e.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrIcE.

VIIJLIAM ARCHER MAYO, OF PARIS, TEXAS.

Tl RE-TIG HTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION' forming' part of Letters Patent No. 426,730, dated April 29, 1890.

Application iiled January 16, 1890. Serial No. 337,052. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I,VVILLIAM ARCHER MAYO, residing at Paris, in the county of Lamar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tirefl`ighteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide simple and effective means whereby as the spokes of the wheel become loosened in their socket-connection with the felly they may be quickly tightened without disconnecting the spokes from the felly-sections.

My invention consists in certain novel fea' tures of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described in the annexed specification and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of a portion of a vehicle-wheel with my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2, Fig. l, looking in direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the tightening-plates, and Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of the telly-tightening plate.

In the accompanying drawings,Aindicates the hub of a vehicle-wheel, which is socketed in the usual manner to receive the tenons b of the lower ends of the spokes B, the upper ends of which are provided with the usual tenons b', which iit the sockets c in the fellysections O, over which ts the tire D, also of the ordinary construction.

It is obvious that when a wheel is constructed as above described (such construction being the one most common) that after a short use the Wooden felly shrinks, as also the spokes, thus making the connection between the parts loose, and thereby weakening the wheel.

To form a convenient means of quickly tightening the spokes when they become loose, I provide the detachable wedge-plates E E, (shown in detail in Fig. 3,) such plates consisting each of an apertnred extension e at its rear end and a forward semicircular socket The upper face of the plate E is made to lit flush against the felly-body,while the lower face of the fingers eEa is inclined or wedge-shaped. The under face of the fingers e2 of the plate E is straight, the upper face thereof being wedge-shaped, as shown.

The manner of adjusting myimproved tightening-plates in posit-ion is as follows: Vhon the spokes become loosened, the plate Eis driven in place between the felly and the shoulder b2 of the spoke, the fingers e2 em-' bracing the tenon b. The plate is then secured by passing a screw F through the aperture et into the wooden felly. The plate E is then forced in from the opposite side,- its upper inclined portion of the fingers e2 engaging the lower inclined face of the lingers onthe plate E. Such plate E is then secured by the screw F.

Instead of forcing the plates E E into position by lateral pressure, it is manifest that the felly may be slightly sprung outward by suitable jacks or levers and the plates fitted in place, and the fellies then allowed to spring back to their normal position. It is also obvious that when the spokes are but slightly loose but one wedge-plate need be employed.

G denotes a'wedge-plate, corrugated on each face, which is forced in position between the felly-sections when their meeting edges begin to part, the corrugations serving to bite into the wood, thereby holding the plate G in place. Such plate Gmay,if desired, be also provided with a slot g to fit around atenon g when the felly-sections are formed with tenon-connections. l

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, the advantages of my improvement will readily appear. It will be seen that the same may be manufactured at a very small cost, and may be either of cast or stamped metal. It can be made of various sizes and sold on the market as anew article adapted for use upon wheels of all sizes.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-A l. As a new article of manufacture, a tiretight-ener consisting of a plate provided with wedge-shaped projecting iingers and a rear- IOO upper face of the plate E being' straight, its lower fece inclined, the upper face of the plat-e E inclined, and the lower face thereof straight, whereby when said plates are iitted in place they will wedge between the felly and the shoulder of the spoke, said socket portions adapted to fit over said shouldered portion of the spokes, substnntiztllyzts and forthc purpose described.

VI'LLIAM ARCHER MAYO. lVitnesses:

T. S. HILL, J. M. BALLINGER. 

